Registered Nurses Salary
Registered Nurses in Urban Honolulu, HI make a median of $139,260 a year, or about $66.95 an hour. The range runs from $82K at the entry level to $151K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.96), so that salary is closer to $125,505 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,642/month, about 32.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $139K get you in Urban Honolulu?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Urban Honolulu’s Regional Price Parity (110.96). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About registered nurses
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What this looks like in Urban Honolulu
Urban Honolulu sits well above the national pay line for registered nurses, local pay runs about 43% higher than the U.S. median of $98K. Rent runs $2,642/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.96), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for registered nurses in metros near Urban Honolulu, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku | $144K | $132K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Urban Honolulu, HI
Entry-level registered nurses (10th percentile) start around $82K. Mid-career wages sit at $139K. Top earners bring in $151K or more, a $69K spread from bottom to top.
Registered Nurses pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Registered Nurses salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $140K | +44% | 338,940 |
| Hawaii | $136K | +40% | 12,940 |
| Oregon | $129K | +32% | 39,730 |
| Washington | $124K | +27% | 69,260 |
| Alaska | $109K | +12% | 7,510 |
| New York | $109K | +12% | 205,810 |
| New Jersey | $107K | +9% | 92,680 |
| Massachusetts | $105K | +7% | 88,200 |
| Nevada | $104K | +6% | 27,070 |
| Connecticut | $103K | +5% | 40,110 |
| District of Columbia | $103K | +5% | 11,440 |
| Minnesota | $102K | +4% | 70,110 |
| Rhode Island | $101K | +3% | 10,090 |
| Colorado | $100K | +3% | 54,490 |
| Maryland | $100K | +2% | 52,910 |
| New Hampshire | $100K | +2% | 15,390 |
| Delaware | $100K | +2% | 14,290 |
| Arizona | $100K | +2% | 73,150 |
| Vermont | $97K | -0% | 7,410 |
| Pennsylvania | $96K | -1% | 146,520 |
| Illinois | $96K | -2% | 138,910 |
| Texas | $96K | -2% | 271,380 |
| Wisconsin | $96K | -2% | 68,060 |
| New Mexico | $94K | -3% | 17,980 |
| Michigan | $94K | -3% | 104,950 |
| Virginia | $94K | -4% | 77,490 |
| Georgia | $94K | -4% | 100,950 |
| Idaho | $92K | -5% | 16,880 |
| Maine | $87K | -11% | 16,540 |
| Montana | $85K | -13% | 10,950 |
| Nebraska | $85K | -13% | 24,720 |
| Utah | $85K | -13% | 27,420 |
| North Carolina | $84K | -14% | 111,120 |
| Florida | $84K | -14% | 229,940 |
| Wyoming | $84K | -14% | 5,330 |
| Indiana | $84K | -14% | 68,980 |
| Oklahoma | $83K | -15% | 38,270 |
| Ohio | $83K | -15% | 143,730 |
| South Carolina | $82K | -16% | 49,750 |
| Missouri | $82K | -16% | 76,310 |
| Tennessee | $82K | -16% | 72,200 |
| Kentucky | $81K | -17% | 50,300 |
| North Dakota | $81K | -17% | 11,340 |
| Louisiana | $80K | -18% | 48,970 |
| West Virginia | $80K | -18% | 23,430 |
| Kansas | $79K | -19% | 33,800 |
| Arkansas | $79K | -19% | 29,400 |
| Iowa | $79K | -19% | 34,420 |
| South Dakota | $78K | -20% | 14,710 |
| Mississippi | $77K | -21% | 29,060 |
| Alabama | $77K | -21% | 54,340 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track registered nurses salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Urban Honolulu numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford a 2BR apartment alone in Urban Honolulu?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $139K, rent takes 33.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,642/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for registered nurses in Urban Honolulu?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new registered nurses typically earn — is $82K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,943/month. At HUD’s $2,642/month FMR, rent would take 53% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is registered nurse a high-paying job in Urban Honolulu?
Local pay is 43% above the national median — $139K here vs. $98K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 11% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Urban Honolulu compare to the national average for registered nurses?
Urban Honolulu pays $139K median vs. the U.S. average of $98K — that’s +43%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $126K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do registered nurses make in Urban Honolulu, HI?
The median is $139,260 a year, that works out to about $67 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $82,390, and experienced registered nurses can clear $151,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $139K enough to live in Urban Honolulu?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,948/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,642/month, which eats 33.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a registered nurses salary go in Urban Honolulu?
Urban Honolulu has a Regional Price Parity of 110.96 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median registered nurses salary is worth about $125,505 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do registered nurses get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.